make do and mend for tougher times

harrybear_1988

Hello all

Have been a lurker here for a while now, so good to know that there are other people out there making do and mending! There's not many people my own age (24) that I know who are living to OS ways and ethics and it can make me feel a little reclusive at times, petulantly crying "no one understands what it's like to be so poor!" ...until I get a grip on myself :rotfl:

Anyway I wondered, in hope that this is the right place, if you kind people could help me with ideas on how to rescue a pair of supersoft jeggings? I love them, but they're fading and sagging and I can't afford anything new. I was thinking some dylon dye and maybe spray starch....would that help?? I am pretty craft/sew-y etc but don't have much experience with clothing.

Any ideas appreciated!!
xxxxx

gailey_2

prepared at home-That sounds like awful day.

Argos is getting worse we have large extra on retail park near us they take ages, service rubbish and every time new book comes out things seem to go up-plus never buy a sofa from argos ours is dire and falling apart again.
They must spend fortune just printing the books.

kidcat hope you better soon.

Mrs cd many of my freinds and family live all over uk now.
so fb seems best way keeping in touch
some evenlive abroad.

My family like to see pics of kids.
I can assure you i dont post my every move on there or do it daily.
I find it quite intrusive and hate teh stalker app that tells people where you were at that moment in time.

But one thing I have noticed is stupid amounts of bragging.

nearly everyone I know even the poor ones claiming they have no money for their childs uniform have i pads-that one made me cross.

school report time-out of say 100people every child had great school report and is agenuis I mean please!

But the worst is birthdays and xmas -far worse than holiday pics.
As there seems to be a trend for taking photos of huge unopened pressies night befere childs birthday to show how much they brought.

Some its obscene amounts dont know how many manage it..
kids dont need that much.

latly one person asked how much do you spend on each child for xmas to which everyone tried to outdo each other.

its just not me. 1lady photographs all her childs new expensive clothes.
people do stages picsand do try to show they live the perfect life of course its just a snap shot.

Im still hacking away today
kids up early
hubbys left forwork already as hes working again most of the day to which I would be understanding if he dident come home and moan we have no food or not much has been done.

he was in strop as he gave me 20yesterday and its gone went round corner shop just brought essentials

cereal
eggs
bread
milk
got kids cheap 29p carton drink and cheap 17p milkybar

I did buy some craft and stationary as

eldest needs it for school
i needed some stuff to do my new wall planner and meal planners.

I think its the assumption I do a rubbish shop and he does god one drives me mad.

the other day he cameback with mostly crap and he brough coco pops when i said rice krispies or weetabix as I dont like coco pops they crap.

So the fruit bowls near empty
theres no cereal i liked
no crisps

He seems to be unable to comprehend how hard food budgets been this summer.

dd 6 half never stops eating.
her nearly 3year old sisters sees her eat and wants the same
we get through 4-6pints milk a day
sometimes a loaf of bread a day in toast, sandwiches.
fruit seems to last very little time.
The value yogurts dont last long

or the cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and carrot sticks.

we buy value biscuits whih I try and ration and hide.

hubby keeps buying something frozen with oven chips which is ok once a in a while but im sick of it!

I dont think its is that cheap and feel like done so many bad meals latly as out of basics.

hubby broke my fave large saucepan the one nothing sticks too and hasent replaced it as promised. my mum broke my dish rack so been missing that and the baby managed to break my cheapo casserole dish.

we out of basics

stock cubes
gravy
herbs
peppper
havent been butchers in 2months
keep looking for reduced but not seen any of that either.

really need to do very good storecupboard shop and start proper cooking again like we used to.

its nightmare shopping with kids so been doing some stuff online.

hes going lidls after work and claims he can do good job but get frustrated as he always comes back with very few meals.
when things run out hes like how could this be.
its only day 2 after payday and feel like hes bitter about doing a food shop.

where as i have 3kids at home its raining, I dont drive and am poorly.

Hoping it will get better in september although will have packed lunches to sort.

To top off my weekend a lovley letter from agent informing me its been 3months since my last inspection and they visiting on wed during half term oh fab so hubbys like try and do some tidying today!

The hoover broke yesterday have to try and fix that somehow.
the washings never ending.

Hubbys still not fixed washing line as promised.

feel like im trying to do things with nothing.
does he think im flipping super woman.

ahh rant over.

hoping hamsters ok and just looks worse than it looks.

eldest going over freinds house today so downsizing to 2kids.

will try and get what I can done.

hope everyone else ok.

I see a glimmer of sun.

was suppost to go see family mon but cancelled that as feel poorly and extra expense.

feel like its been a hard frugal summer.
hoping autumm might make me feel cheerier as love halloween, bonfire night and xmas and hopefully be busy like a litle elf over next few months making stuff.

grandma247

((Hugs Gailey)). I would not put up with even half of what you do without exploding at dh if he was so unappreciative of the things I did. Not even when I was a lot younger. Little kids are hard work and you both need to work as a team and support each other.

meme30

We once had a Hamster who went bald, it turned out his bedding had shredded newspaper in it. The ink caused an allergic reaction! I changed the bedding and his hair grew back. Simples!:p
PAH:- I know what you mean about a fused lower spine, it's hard to find painkillers to target this specifically. Many people with ruptured discs are very dismissive when I can do things they can't. 'Your back can't be that bad!' It's a whole other way of walking and living compromises isn't it? Mine caused my 'fibro' as well! My GP is good about meds but the rest of the practice GP's if I see them, are horrified at the combination which works for me, and are determined to change them.They feel their 'too many side-effects' out-punches my 'but they work!'

katieowl_2

To those who asked about fudge...

I made HFW fudge that turned into toffee - my fault I didn't beat it long enough

I made Dan Leppard fudge four times...the first was perfect. The second, third and fourth didn't set. I have NO IDEA why :mad:

The recipe I used yesterday was this one: http://www.carnation.co.uk/pudcasts/ultimate-fudge?section=Recipes

This worked perfectly all three times. My conclusions are that it doesn't have as much liquid to start with, so it doesn't have to boil off before the temperature of the hot sugar reaches soft ball. Also it was sufficiently co-operative that I beat it in the kenwood with the k beater. Make sure you watch the video of it being made, as it really helps you see what you are looking for in your own batch. I tried it in one of the woks to start with as it was wide and shallow, but it was a bit scary, so I went back to using the bottom of the pressure cooker, as it's good and heavy. My advice to fudge newbies...

Fudge rule one) Get everything you need ready before you start...line your tin, get a glass of water to test the set, put the radio on etc. Once you start boiling you cannot leave the pan for a second, and the closer it comes to being ready the more likely it is to catch and burn.

Fudge rule two) Use a sugar thermometer to check the set as well as the soft ball in water...

Fudge rule three) leave to cool to 110C before beating - or until the pan stops bubbling if you don't have a thermometer

Fudge rule four) Sugar crystals form around the mixture in the pan, and can make the finished fudge grainey - tip the hot mixture (CAREFULLY :eek:) from the pan into a bowl to beat, without scraping it out. Beat it until it starts to come away from the side of the bowl - see the video in the recipe. This is really important.

Recipe doesn't add any - but I put Vanilla in after taking the pan off the heat, before beating.

HTH

Kate

Mrs_Chip

Morning All!

Welcome all new Toughies!

Horrid weather here again :mad: It never seems to stop raining!

Kate - I looked at that printer yesterday but can't really justify it as I have a wired one that does the same - except that on this lappy the scan function does not work and on the business lappy I can't find the printer drivers for it so can scan but not print :mad: But I do covet a wireless printer:o . Your lables sound interesting - do you have a linky? I found some great retro advertising a while ago annd downloaded them to print and used to decoup a cupboard for the summerhouse, did the decoup bit, I must find a use for the ads - all bright 50's food/kitchen related.

We used to have hams - they are lovely to keep but lives such sort lives, it was very sad when they died (does not help we are both soppy ). I would love to have some guineas, I really like them, but with the garden being up the hill not really practical (and with cat indoors not a good plan!).

Gearing up for BH weekend at the camp site, but not sure it will be that busy with weather as it is.

Hope everyone has a good day,whatever the weather!

katieowl_2

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Morning All!

Welcome all new Toughies!

Horrid weather here again :mad: It never seems to stop raining!

Kate - I looked at that printer yesterday but can't really justify it as I have a wired one that does the same - except that on this lappy the scan function does not work and on the business lappy I can't find the printer drivers for it so can scan but not print :mad: But I do covet a wireless printer:o . Your lables sound interesting - do you have a linky? I found some great retro advertising a while ago annd downloaded them to print and used to decoup a cupboard for the summerhouse, did the decoup bit, I must find a use for the ads - all bright 50's food/kitchen related.

We used to have hams - they are lovely to keep but lives such sort lives, it was very sad when they died (does not help we are both soppy ). I would love to have some guineas, I really like them, but with the garden being up the hill not really practical (and with cat indoors not a good plan!).

Gearing up for BH weekend at the camp site, but not sure it will be that busy with weather as it is.

Hope everyone has a good day,whatever the weather!

When DS's rats died within a few weeks of each other (litter brothers, I guess they were genetically destined to go at the same time) we were so devastated we vowed we'd never have any more I had to take the second to the vet for him to be put down, and later in the day I was on the train up at London Bridge, and it was all too much, big fat tears started plopping down my face, and I rummaged in my pockets for a tissue and had no luck. A sweet old lady sitting opposite leaned forward and tapped me on the arm, and handed me a big wadge of tissues, which made me cry even harder I often wonder what she would have thought if she knew I was crying about a rat!

Kate

Mrs_Chip

Kate - ditto - when my favourite ratty died I went to work and sobbed all over my keyboard!

fuddle

kidcat wrote: »

Welcome homerdog



Katie I have tried fudge a few years ago and never got it right, there was a wonderful recipe for Baileys fudge I was trying, it was such a shame, OH used it as a sauce on ice cream. So hats off for succeeding

I have made so many ice cream toppings :rotfl: that I have given up my fudge making. I will think about trying katie's recipe though. You know me, a determined little miss!

harrybear_1988 wrote: »

Hello all

Have been a lurker here for a while now, so good to know that there are other people out there making do and mending! There's not many people my own age (24) that I know who are living to OS ways and ethics and it can make me feel a little reclusive at times, petulantly crying "no one understands what it's like to be so poor!" ...until I get a grip on myself :rotfl:

Anyway I wondered, in hope that this is the right place, if you kind people could help me with ideas on how to rescue a pair of supersoft jeggings? I love them, but they're fading and sagging and I can't afford anything new. I was thinking some dylon dye and maybe spray starch....would that help?? I am pretty craft/sew-y etc but don't have much experience with clothing.

Any ideas appreciated!!
xxxxx

Hullo! Welcome. In my early 30's myself and have been slowly frugal for a long time really. Even when I wasn't frugal per se, I was a homely gardener/baker and didn't fit in with my circle of friends too well.

You're going to love it here Hope you stick around.

For the dyeing of jeggings. I would look at the fabric content. I there's polyester in there then I'm afraid they won't dye... well they possible could but it would need a stronger dye then home dyes and very, very high temperatures. If they're cotton or the like then go for it.

Absolutely shocking weather today. (I need my blackberries from the field! :eek: ) pouring and pouring. Girls are under the fleecy blankets watching TV and I have to admit it is rather chilly this morning.

Going to cook up a full english for treat as DH home today.

DH taking me to the butcher (the 6 miler) for some fruit and veg and eggs. Hopefully this weather will prevent others from going out and I get to snaffle some BOGOF sausages and burgers. Wish me luck!

mardatha

I love ratties. I caught up on posts this morning and read it as Kidcat has a ham with fleas, and my brain is seeing a large gammon steak with fleas which made me raise eyebrows a wee bit - and then it went onto Owl making Def Leppard fudge. I think I need more tea.